Catherine Christophillis

Of counsel

Catherine Christophillis began her career in law thirty-eight years ago after receiving her juris doctorate from the University of South Carolina Law School. Catherine joined our firm in 2016 and focuses her practice on family law issues such as divorce, separation, child custody name change, child support and alimony as well as preparation of wills, powers of attorney and health care powers of attorneys.

Catherine is both a certified mediator/arbitrator and Guardian ad Litem. She was trained in Atlanta, GA in 1993 before South Carolina approved mediation. She served on the committee that wrote and proposed mediation rules and continues to believe that mediation is a useful tool for families to successfully resolve their disputes.

At the beginning of Catherine’s career in law, she went into private practice with Culbertson, Christophillis and Sauvain. She worked in the practice on two different occasions, both before and after working for the 13th Circuit Solicitors. While working for the 13th Circuit Solicitors, she headed a special unit for crimes against children and domestic violence, and also initiated a Domestic Violence Intervention Project as well as the Response and Review Team for infants exposed to drugs. Starting in 1995, Catherine served the Attorney General’s office for five years, where she began and headed three special prosecution units: Directors of Insurance Fraud, Drug Prosecution and Elder Abuse.

Catherine has published six different works during her career. She was the author of the “Homicide by Child Abuse,” which was signed by Governor Carroll Campbell on June 2, 1992, the children’s section of “The Right of Children to be Free from Harm,” as a part of the South Carolina Jurisprudence, and Intervention Protocol for Drug Impaired Infants. Catherine also made amendments to the Insurance Fraud Act, as well as was a co-author for the Child Fatalities Legislation and the Child Abuse Reform Act of 1996.

Catherine is happily married to Constantine S. Christophillis, and has three children: Tina, Cory and Anna Kate. She is a member of the St. George Greek Orthodox Church, and serves as a choir member. Currently, Catherine is a member of both the Junior League of Greenville and the Junior League Singers of Greenville, as well as is presently on the board for the Greenville Little Theatre. She is a performer, and has been a part of multiple stage performances with the South Carolina Children’s Theatre, the Greenville Little Theatre, the Upstate Shakespeare Festival, and Centre Stage of South Carolina.

Admissions:

South Carolina, 1978

Education:

J.D.- University of South Carolina School of Law, 1978

B.S., Government,Florida State University, 1975

Prior Board Memberships:

Greenville Transit Authority

Upstate Community Mediation Center

Piedmont Council for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect

S.H.A.R.E.

The Urban League

League of Women Voters

Business Women's Forum

Greenville Housing Futures

Downtown Area Council

Viola Street Advisory Committee

The State Board for Very Special People

Advisory Board for the Children's Law Center

Council of M.I.C.H.

South Carolina Children's Theatre (Chairman)

Centre Stage (Executive Committee)

South Carolina Council for Mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution (Secretary for Executive Committee)

Memberships:

South Carolina Bar Association

Greenville County Bar Association

Professional Achievements:

Chairman of the Child State Fatalities Committee

Appointed by the Chief Justice Harwell to the South Carolina Family Court Mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution Rules

Appointed by Governor Carroll Campbell to the Maternal, Infant and Children's Committee

Appointed by Governor Carroll Campbell to the Joint Legislative Committee on Children (Subcommittee Chairman for Child Abuse and Neglect)

Appointed by Governor Carroll Campbell to the Property Tax Reform and Accountability Advisory Committee